Friday, May 30, 2014

First coin from Oman ever. It was given to me by a friend who knows I collect after he found it in his change. It may have been given to him at his work's cafeteria, he was not sure. Typical of Islamic countries this coin has few images and no people.

Even if you cannot read the words the symbol on coins from Oman are easier to identify. Crossed swords under a sheathed traditional khanjar dagger under chain linked symbolic flags. The rim has dashes all around and the edge is reeded.

On the bottom is the dual dated year in Arabic, read backwards as 1428 - 2008. The denomination is huge in the center saying 25 with the Oman national arms on either side. The rim has the dashes like on the other side.

This coin is nickel clad steel and is strongly attracted to magnets. There is supposed to be a copper-nickel version but it is not listed in my older world coin books. In most modern coin books Oman is the only O country listed.

I know little about Oman. It is an oil rich country that is very Islamic and sits at the edge of the middle east. They use the rial which is equivalent to about $2.65 in U.S. dollars. The baisa is 1/1000 of a rial so less then a cent in exchange rates. The lowest circulating money is a 5 baisa coin which is like a penny. The highest circulating money is the 50 rial bill which is like the $100 bill in the U.S.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Hey I thought you were recalled. Apparently those Canadian cents are hiding out in American change. A sharp increase in these finds can mean that Canadians are using the last of their cents in U.S. stores.

I just thought of how Canadian coin collectors will now not have any U.S. cents in their change anymore. I would imagine it may have been common to see U.S. coins in their change but now the U.S. cent will be unavailable.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Great Britain has just started to convert from paper money to plastic money with the release of a five pound note for Scotland. They are cheaper to make and alleged last longer but they still are not as sturdy as metal coins.

This coin is a bit beat up and the queen kind of looks like she got bit by a zombie. Still the coin can last up to 100 years in circulation. They have changed metal content since 2007 but these older coins are still readable by vending machines in the U.K., at least they should be.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

The first Lincoln Memorial reverse cent was issued in 1959 for the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's birth. The design was done by Frank Gasparro who worked at the mint and was approved with the help of a special Lincoln Sesquicentennial Commission.

At the time some people noted that the reverse looked like a trolley car but as trolleys became less popular those comparisons did not last long. The Lincoln Memorial national monument was dedicated in 1922 and has been a sacred place for almost a hundred years. It is also on the reverse of the five dollar bill and other coins throughout the years. It also has been in many movies because of the iconic sitting Lincoln at the center.

For a Lincoln Memorial cent to get a high grade all the steps and columns on the Memorial must but clear, sharp, and unmarked in any way. A thing most people do not realize is that Lincoln is featured twice on this cent, the tiny sitting Lincoln statue should be visible in the center of the reverse. After 50 years the Lincoln reverse was retired and new designs were issued. Lasting from 1959-2008 this is the cent that I grew up with and will always be my standard cent.

Monday, May 26, 2014

It actually has been six months since I found a significant Canadian nickel. I have found a few in that time but most are common repeats. This one is common but I have not featured it before.

The coin is 100% nickel (well more than 99.9% nickel) and is currently worth more than face value. I am pretty sure you can melt Canadian coins in the U.S. as long as you did not import them for that reason. Finding them in your change makes them free to alter.

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Of the eleven wartime nickels this is one of the more scarce dates. Just over 32 million were minted compared to the 100+ million made of the Philadelphia nickel. It still does not carry much of a premium over metal value.

This coin is tarnished and deeply scratched but it still has over $1.00 worth of silver in it. Although silver is at a relative low point, less than $20.00 per ounce, it still is a precious metal. I understand this coin is not that attractive but no need to dump it since it will always carry a small premium. Granted if that person kept it I would not have found it so it is a mixed feeling.

Saturday, May 24, 2014

A billion more of these 1961 Denver cents were made compared to the Philadelphia cent. While Denver mints always tend to make more coins this time it seemed a bit excessive for some unknown reason.

This one is in rough shape. The damage is helping dirt and fibers get caught on the surface, which will lead to more damage. It is easy enough to upgrade for cheap or free. Since I just use the first example I find in my change to feature on the blog this one is perfectly acceptable.

Friday, May 23, 2014

Equal to a U.S. cent in currency exchange, size, and metal which is a reason it is often found in our change. Finding one for you non-collectors is not a bad thing since you can pass it on for a fair cent.

Again found a Bahamian cent with die cracks on the reverse. The starfish is so ornate that it causes cracks along the edges of the design and around the rim. It does not add value and might actually lower value in higher grades.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Nearly ten years have passed since I last got a half dollar coin in my change. By 2002 they were no longer issued for circulation but even by then they were rarely seen in the wild. Getting this one was a rare treat that hopefully gets repeated.

This is the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy half dollar and as far as I know there are no special ciruclating coins being issued, or any coin. The end of circulating halves has made them especially popular among tourists who also seek two dollar bills as souvenirs. Still I have found non-circulating halves in my change and expect to find more because the still have little extra value.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

That British Invasion does not seem to be letting up. Pennies, 5 pences, and 20 pences are the most common types found in American change. Most will be modern as Great Britain tends to recycle older coins faster than in America.

This was my 120th change find this year which is a record. Now that I have found the local spots that give me funny money in my change it has been incredible. It may end if I switch jobs to a new location but for now I am in coin collecting paradise.

Monday, May 19, 2014

Let us compare the small date and large date cents. The small date seems a bit more scarce from the Denver mint even though they have the same value.

For the small date pictured above:

The top of the 9 is almost even to the top of the 1.

The top of the 6 is near the center of the 6.

The 9 and 6 have flatter ends.

For the large date pictured above:

The top of the 9 is always higher than the top of the 1.

The top of the 6 is at the same or very close to the right most edge of the 6.

The 0 looks perfectly round and not as thin.

In circulated condition either variety has no extra value above metal content, which is about $0.02. The reason for the varieties is unclear to me but it probably was just a batch of new master dies that were redone. A tiny difference in the date caused many problems including over dates and varieties.

Were they perfectly made then no one would notice that the dies were redone. It happens all the time but only when there are slight changes will we notice.

Saturday, May 17, 2014

More Canadian cents please. I am serious if I get a few more than I will feature them all on this blog and never have to talk about them again. Almost 80 have been listed so I may be half way to the end of Canadian cents.

It has a nice looking fingerprint on the date side. The coin is not that bad otherwise but yes fingerprint damage is permanent and takes away any collectors value.

Friday, May 16, 2014

Always take a double look at 1955 cents for doubling. There is a famous and very valuable error for this year, unfortunately it is almost impossible to find it in your change. Still there is a chance to find it so keep an eye out.

The best place to check for the error is in the date. It should be obvious if doubled but there are lesser more subtle doubling that has less value.

Here's the stats...Type/Country: 1 Cent / United States of AmericaYear: 1955Mintage: 330,958,200Metal: 95% copper 5% tin and zincValue:$0.10 in VF

Do
you have a wheat penny and want to know its value? Leave a
comment/question and I will do my best to find out the price and history
for you.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

After finding over 25 no mint mark 1944 cents I finally get a one with a mint mark and it is San Francisco. This one has a slightly higher value and was made in one-fifth the quantity of the Philadelphia version.

Initially I thought I got a regular 1944 cent until I got home and looked closely. The S mint mark is usually more rare in wheat cents and carries a 50% premium in most low and high grades, the mid-grades are often the same value.

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

There are two versions of most 2008 British coins because they changed the reverse from the traditional designs to puzzle pieces of the royal coat of arms. The more common 2008 coins are the royal arms section pieces.

Designed by Matthew Dent these 2008 coins are often labeled either Dent or Ironside. Christopher Ironside was the designer of the previous image of the crown and thistle found on older five pence coins.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Over half a billion of these and it took over three years to find one. Lots of bag marks but other wise it is in excellent shape. Still has no extra value but that is one less to look for in my change.

Is it obsessive to try and get every circulating coin that exist for free? Probably but at least it passes the time. The nickel is one of those coins that may disappear if the metal is not changed or inflation gets worse. Getting them now is your best bet as paying for common coins seems silly.

Monday, May 12, 2014

Yes one cent coins are still being made outside the U.S. even if they are said to be rarely needed. Most retailers round off the price of things and it is an unspoken rule not to use 1 or 2 euro cents. Retailers purposely price things so every purchase rounds up and for large retailers that is millions in free profits.

Of course the end of small change will eventually happen but that will also boost the use of credit/debit cards that takes exact change.

Coin quality is weak except for the date and mint marks, I can only assume the dies are not being changed often to save on production cost.

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Of the two varieties of 1949 Canadian cents this is the more common type. Denticles are the teeth like things around the rim. If the last A in the word GRATIA points directly to one other denticle it is a rarer type. If the A points slightly off and in between the denticles then it is the more common type.

The master hub used to make the dies that press the coin was modified and the only difference was how the word GRATIA and the denticles line up. Normally it does not add value except they changed the dies in mid-year
so some dates have both types.

Were this a 1949 A pointing to dentcle it would be worth $10.00 in low grade and much more in mint.

Friday, May 09, 2014

In honor of the millions of Canadians, in particular mothers, that volunteer to make Canada a better place the government made this dime. Of course it is also a nod to the March of Dimes foundation as the women on the reverse are in a standard marching lineup.

This coin looks very nice but suffers from a lot of no value mint errors. It has been seen with die clashes and die gouges. Toward the edges you can see where the design and the rim meets that the metal is peeling. I am not sure what causes this but it happens at minting and is so common that it does not add value, just the opposite it takes away value.

Thursday, May 08, 2014

Quarters are the easy coin to drill to make jewelry with because the size allows for secure clamping. I have found quarters with holes in my change before.

This one seems like a halfhearted effort. The drilling exposed the copper core and looked clean but the person stopped before punching through. If it would have went through the other side it would surface under the bison in front of the 2006 date.

The possible pendant would have looked weird since it drills through Washington's head and puts the reverse upside down so maybe that is why the person stopped drilling. This coin is now damaged and holds no extra value, although it never did while it circulated.

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